Extension bracket for highway guard cables



Feb. 5, 1935. E. K. COLE EXTENSION BRACKET FOR HIGHWAY GUARD CABLES Filed Sept. 6, 1932 27/720? 1K dala @W WZZW Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXTENSION BRACKET FOR HIGHWAY GUARD CABLES Elmer K. Cole, Winterset, Iowa, assignor to Wej- Lock Manufacturing Company, Winterset, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa 7 Application September 6, 1932, Serial No. 631,793

1 Claim. (01. 248-31) In the construction of highway guard fences plete of a single piece of sheet metal of rectanit is now generally recognized that there are nugular shape and hence without waste. It commerous advantages in having extension brackets prises two sides 12 having inwardly extended for holding the cables spaced from the posts. flanges 13 and an outer end member 14, which 5 Their use, however, is limited due to their exalso has inwardly extended flanges 15, and a bolt 5 pense and the high percentage of breakage, both opening. This extension bracket body portion to the brackets and to automobiles, under workmay obviously be made of a single piece of sheet ing conditions. or plate metal with simple cutters and formers,

The object of my invention is to provide a and without waste. The flanges 13 and 15 supbracket of this character of simple, durable and port and brace the sides 12 so that relatively l0 inexpensive construction, which may be conlight metal may be used. structed of sheet metal without waste of mate- The assembly of the base and body is done by rial, and which may be cut and formed with simply bending the flanges 13 at their inner simple and inexpensive material, and which is corners under the base'10 and at 16, which firmly 15 strongly braced and supported against all the secures the parts together against separating and 15 strains and shocks to which it is subjected in up and down movements while the lugs 11 brace use. the body sides against spreading movement.

A further object is to provide an improved My improved cableand bracket supporting decable and extension bracket supporting device vice is formed complete of a single piece of half of simple, durable and inexpensive construction round metal bar. The two end portions thereof 20 which may be readily, quicklyand'easily applied, are straight as indicated at 1'7 and are arranged and which when in position will firmly and sesubstantiallyV-shapedwith relation to each other, curely support the extension bracket on the post and at the center or apex of the V I have formed and the cable in the cable supporting device. a substantially circular loop 18. One end of My invention consists in the construction, arthe bar is preferably longer than the other and 25 rangement and combination of the various parts both ends preferably have their outer end porof the device, whereby the objects contemplated tions beveled at 19 for easy insertion through a are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, hole in a post. pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the I have also provided a fulcrum device 20 con- 30. accompanying drawing, in which: sisting of a circular fulcrum plate flat on one Figure 1 shows a top view of my improved side and having a central opening through which bracket applied to a post, shown in section, and the cable supporting device may pass, and the having a cable in position in the hook of the opposite side of the fulcrum device is tapered bolt. 7 r 1 from its center outwardly and toward the fiat Figure 2 shows a side view of same with a porside of the fulcrum device, as clearly shown in 5 tion of the bracket broken away to show the Figure 1.

locking construction, In assembling my improved extension bracket Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the and cable support I first place the extension bracket. bracket against the side of the post adjacent to 40 Figure 4 shows a detail vertical sectional view the highway, and then cause the V-shaped cable 40 through a portion of the extension bracket and a supporting device to straddle the cable until the modified form of cable extension hook therein; cable rests in the loop 18 as shown in Figure 2. and I then press the end portions 17 of the cable Figure 5 shows a plan View of the cable supsupporting device into parallel engaging posiporting device in its normal position open to retions, and then insert these ends through the 45 ceive a cable. slot 21 in the outer end of the extension bracket Referring to the accompanying drawing it and through the hole in the post. I then place will be seen that the bracket proper is formed of the fulcrum plate on the end portions of the two pieces of sheet or plate metal, one forming cable supporting device which project beyond 5 the base and the other the bracket body. The the opposite face of the post. The longer one of base 10 is a rectangular piece of metal curved the ends 17 is preferably below the shorter end. to conform to a round post and having two out- I then with a hammer or the like strike upon this wardly extended lugs 11 formed by cutting and longer projecting end and drive it downwardly pressing outwardly. until it lies close against or penetrates slightly The body of the bracket is also formed cominto the side of the post as shown in Figure 2. 55

Then the remaining end is driven upwardly and into the post in the same manner. t

During this bending movement, the end that project; beyond the fulcrum plate will act as lever, having its fulcrum at the fulcrum plate and this movement will obviously exert a great degree of pressure in a direction tending to dra the looped end of the cable supporting device into ithe slot 21 in the extension bracket, and also toforce and firmly set the extension bracket against the adjacent side of the post. I

In this connection it should be explained that I preferably make the loop l8fsomewhat larger of the cable supporting} device do not project be-v yond the rear of'the post. Hence, a relatively long cable supporting device may be used on a post of relatively small diameter without leaving any objectionable projection beyond the post.

By using a cable supporting device formed of a half round metal bar, I gain a substantial advantage in that the part of the loop shaped member that projects beyond the cable projects only half as far toward the highway as would;a hook round in cross section, so that an automobile striking the cable will slide along it past the post and will not be caught by the hook and the,

bracket and thus escape injury.

With my improved apparatus, I have demonstrated by actual tests that with a half round rod in diameter atits widest point'assembled in the mannerand by the method shown, and by r applying strains to the cable either upwardly and downwardly or outwardly toward the highway away from the post, approximately five times the amount of strains maybe thus applied without injury or damage to the device as compared with an ordinary bolt with a hook shaped end to receive the cable of the kind now in common use.

In the modified fe rm shown in Figure 4, I have shown an ordinary bolt 21, having a hook shaped end 22 to receive the cable, and this hook shaped end is flattened M23 and this performs the useful functions of, first reducing to a minimum the amount to which the hook projects beyond the cable, so that an automobile which strikes the cable and slides along it past a post will not be caught by the hook and the bracket This prevents the hook from will escape injury; and second this flattening of the hook widens it at the point where it enters the openings in the end 14, thereby limiting the inward movement of the hook. f

tightfy gripping the cable so that if a cable receives a heavy impact, the adjacent portion of the cablepassing through several posts may yield enough to prevent breakage of the cable or dislodging of the posts;

' In the outer surface of the short end of the *hook I have formed a notch 24'directly in line withthe adjacent portion of the outer end 14. The function ofthis notch is as follows:

Assuming that'a heavy strain is applied to "the cable in a directionfeutwardly from the post or toward the short end of the hook, sufficiently to bend the hook,'then" the notch will receive the adjacent edge of the outer end portion 14 and lock inst further movement, thus providing an automatic .l'o'ck against suchmovements of the free end the hook. This advantageous feature is provided with a minimum ofexpense and does not in any way interfere withthe easy assembly of the parts.

,In practical use the basemember is set adjacentthe side of a post and a certain radius of the base will fit posts of considerably larger or smaller diameter, as hereinafter explained. Then the bolt it inserted through the'bracleet and into the post. Then the cable is placed incthe hook and finally the nut is applied to the bolt and screwed up tight. 7

The inward movement of the bolt relative to the bracket is stopped bythe enlarged outer'end of the hook so that pressure applied by the tightening of the nut forces the side 12 against the end portions of the base into tight fitting engagement with the post and prevents injury to the post if heavy blows are applied to the bracket or cable. If the radius of the base is less than that of the post, it will expand to fit the post when the nut is tightened.

I claim as my ingention: An extension bracket forhighway-fence cables comprising a base shaped to substantially conform to the side of a post, and having outwardlyextended lugs, a body portion comprising two sides and outer end portion, and a cable receiving loop I formed therein. f g

5; ELMER K. cone; 

